by Lexie Davis
Max sucked her tongue into his mouth while he increased the speed of his thrusts. Who was he to ask her to leave that life anyway? It was the only life she knew. He fondled her clit and sent her over the edge, waiting to see if it was enough for now or if she needed more before he took his own pleasure. The pheromones her body produced were wearing down, giving them longer time to rest in between sessions. Chloe wrapped her arms around him, allowing him to shelter her with comfort and security while she rested.
“What do we do after this, Max? The needing will happen every month, won't it? Are you going to come back to be with me?” She pushed herself up to meet his eyes.
Max swallowed. “The general idea is for you to join a pack, babe. One of the members in your pack will service you with the intention of creating babies. Sometimes if you’re lucky, you find a mate and bond with them.”
“Do you have a bond with a mate?”
He kissed her cheek. “Not yet.”
“I have to give up my life, don’t I? My human life?”
He didn’t respond and knew she’d figure it out. Humans didn’t mingle well with wolves. He hated telling her as much, but it was the absolute truth. Too much could happen and none of it could possibly be within their control.
“I see.” Chloe stood, water and bubbles dripping down her legs and landing in the tub with small splashes. She climbed out and grabbed a towel, taking a seat on the toilet. “I can’t just leave my life, Max.”
“I know that.” He pursed his lips.
“Then what am I going to do? You come into my life with all the answers to my problems. This is all new to me so please tell me what I’m going to do because I have no freaking clue.”
Max waited and watched as her anger boiled and fumed. The last thing he wanted was for her to go off like Janie. The wild rampage with the need for vengeance and blood. He couldn’t handle it again.
“No matter what you do, I’ll be there for you. If you choose to come to my pack and become a member, then that’s great. If not, then I’ll come to you and be there for your needs. Either way, it’s your choice. You live on our land and you’re marked with my scent. You’re a Gray Wolf now, babe.” Max stood and grabbed the other towel to wrap around his waist.
“Wait. You said the members of the pack service the needing women. How many other females do you have sex with?”
He drained the water from the tub and took a seat on the side, facing her. “None. There are only two females in my pack and one belongs to my brother and the other to Hopper, another male in our group. I haven’t had a female since Janie which was a few months ago.”
Chloe narrowed her eyes, considering his words for a moment before continuing. “How did you even find me? I’ve never lived your lifestyle before. I don’t have wolf parents. I’ve always believed I was human. How did you find me when I passed out in my living room floor?”
Max took a deep breath. “Quinn. He’s the secondary leader of our pack, taking over when I left. It’s his job to monitor all social movements for over a fifty miles radius. He’s the one that told me about you living on our land. He also told me about the Black Wolves being nearby and reminded me of the potential threat they pose.”
“So what am I? A stray dog?” She snorted at her own joke then sobered. “I may be different but painting is my life. I can’t give it up, nor completely disappear. In the human realm, they would think I was kidnapped or murdered or something. If I left, people would notice, and it wouldn’t be pretty.”
“I’m not asking you to give it up. I told you, I’d come to you.”
She stood and started pacing. “And the threat? Wouldn’t these Black Wolves keep coming back? Not to mention you said you service your clan. What if someone comes along and they need you?”
Max stood and grabbed her hand. “I told you when I came I wasn’t going to let anything happen to you. That statement doesn’t expire at dawn. I meant what I said. I’m here for you as long as you’re willing to have me.”
Her eyes said she didn’t believe a word he spoke. He knew Quinn and the others wouldn’t be happy with that decision. They had very strict rules, and Maxim had broken every single one of them at least once in his lifetime.
She pulled away from him. “I want to lay down by myself. Can you please just leave me alone?”
Max nodded and left the bathroom, wondering where the hell he went wrong.
Chapter Six
Why didn’t life ever seem to make sense? Chloe crawled between the sheets, memories of the past few hours clouding her head. Sex on the floor. Sex on the couch. Sex on the table. Sex in doggy style. Sex in missionary. Sex with her on top. Oral sex. Anal sex. Sex, sex, sex. Before meeting Max, she wouldn’t have ever thought one human being could have so much sex in one night. Granted, it was stretching her imagination to believe she could have two orgasms in one night, but that was beside the point.
As much as she wanted to be with Max, it was impossible for her to join his pack. I can’t leave my life. It was bad enough she’d slept with someone she hardly knew. Not to mention he was asking her to give up her career. Painting was her life, her dream. It was the only thing she was good at, the only thing she knew. She couldn’t give it up as well as all contact with the human world to join Max’s pack. She didn’t want to.
So where does that leave you, Chloe?
She turned over, wrapping the comforter tight around her. Her body was suddenly weak and cold. She glanced around the room and wondered if she should call for Max. Like the pre-changing sickness, maybe there was a post-changing sickness too and lucky her, she got it.
Chloe stood from the bed on wobbly legs and walked slowly to the door. Max’s voice rang out loud and clear as he spoke with someone downstairs. He was angry. She craned her neck towards the slight crack in the doorway to listen.
“I’ve got nothing here for you boys. You need to go.”
“You smell like pussy, Max,” a voice said. “Hot, wet pussy of a female that is clearly not you.”
Chloe swallowed and grabbed her robe. She returned to the doorway just in time to hear Max’s response.
“Jealous, Deacon?” Max chuckled. “We all know the only pussy that comes around you is a pussy cat, but the last thing I would have guessed was you were jealous of me. Go back to where you came from. There’s nothing here for you.”
Chloe took a deep breath. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Was that them? The threat Max has been talking about all this time? She peeked out the small crack in the door. Max was dressed in jeans and a navy tee, his hair a rumpled mess. She couldn’t see the guy he called Deacon. Maybe the other man took Max’s advice and finally left.
“You say that now, Max, but you’re a liar. There’s a female in there that is a stray, and she’s just as much ours as she is yours. Why not share the joy?” Deacon’s laughter rumbled deep in his chest.
Max pointed. “Out, Deacon. You’re not welcome here.”
“Fine. You can keep her for now. But I guarantee we’ll have her before sunrise.” The other man’s voice held threat, but Max didn’t seem to worry too much.
When he closed the door, Max leaned his forehead against the wood. It was on the tip of Chloe’s tongue to call out to him, to ask him if everything was okay. And then Max turned around, his eyes piercing her in place.
He came up the steps and pushed the door back, ignoring her as he entered the room.
“Who was that guy?”
“Deacon. Alpha of the Black Wolves. A fuckin’ pain in my ass most of the damn days and your worst enemy.” Max pulled out his cell. “Fuck. I got Quinn’s voicemail. You need to get back to the house. The best way is for you to shift. Your animal instincts will tell you where home is.”
“So what are we going to do?”
“Did you not listen to me? You’re going to my home. You’ll tell Quinn what’s going on and then you’ll stay put. No negotiations.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
Max clicked his cell off and tu
rned around. “You don’t have a choice.”
“Why are you being like this? Why are you going all macho and dominating when we could team up and I could help you? People that try to play the heroes usually end up dying in the end.”
Max narrowed his eyes. “You and I a team? That’s almost comedic.”
“You’re a jerk.”
He huffed. “I’ve been called worse. Just do as I say, Chloe. We can argue about me being a jerk and you being a bitch later when neither one of our lives is in danger.”
He shoved clothes at her and barked an order for her to get dressed. She didn’t bother refuting his demands. Chloe shrugged the robe off glad the needing phase was practically gone. Two more hours until dawn, but her body cooled down drastically from the blazing inferno it had once been. What the fuck was up with that?
She pulled on a simple T-shirt to match with a pair of jeans. The only explanation for everything happening was simple. She was living in a bad dream. Any moment she would wake up and everything would be back to normal. Maybe she’d hit her head too hard when she fell in the doorway of her house. It was all one lousy fuckin’ dream.
Her anger brewed strong. From the beginning, Max said he’d protect her but he didn’t have to be a butt about it. Not to mention him calling me a bitch. She pulled on a sweatshirt and tied her hair back, facing him with her hands on her hips, waiting.
“You’ve got a little bit of a temper in you.” He had the audacity to slightly grin.
“Fuck off.” She blew out a harsh breath. “Tell me where I’m supposed to go.”
He pulled her to the bedroom window and pointed. “Go straight back to the edge of the woods and then veer to your left. There is a trail along there that is mostly dirt and sticks. That will lead you to Quinn and my home. After you tell him what’s going on, you stay put. Have someone show you to my room and don’t even think about coming out for anything. And especially don’t even think about trying to help me or sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong. I swear, if you do, there will be hell to pay when I get back.”
“Bite me.”
Max leaned down and scraped his teeth along her shoulder. “Don’t tempt me.”
He pressed his lips to her neck and sighed. For a moment, they stood there in silence. She took in everything, playing it over in her head. What to do. Where to go. Who to get. Max squeezed her shoulders as he kissed her neck, sliding his tongue along her pulse point. Reality was slowly closing in on them. The past few days had been fun and all but this was it. She knew it had to end. And as much as she hated it, her gut told her that Max would have to fight to keep her safe.
Finally, he pulled away and smoothed his hand down her back. “I’ll be home before dawn, so don’t worry about me.”
Yeah. Right. “Why didn’t it work?” She faced him. “You said to protect me was to mask my scent with yours. How did they find us? Why didn’t the scent-marking work?”
Max ran his hands the length of her arms. “Deacon told me he found out about you days ago. Now he’s just toying with me. We have a history and them being here is more or less about his issues with me instead of you. You’re just icing on the cake to him.”
“Was it ever truly about me, Max? Or was this some kind of alpha dog war the two of you got going on?” She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from losing her temper. “The two of you have a history. What is it? To see how many notches you can add to your belt? Whoever has the most wins?”
Max cupped her cheeks and forced her to look into his eyes. “It was never that. I swear to you, Chloe. I can’t explain right now, but you were never part of a competition. Everything I’ve told you is true.”
“Fine.” She jerked away from him. “Am I supposed to leave now?”
“Let’s go.”
* * * *
As soon as Max opened the back door, he knew Deacon and his pack were lurking in the shadows. And it was only a matter of seconds before they struck. Max shifted in mid-air as he jumped off the deck, trying to draw the attention away from Chloe long enough to let her get a decent head start toward the woods.
To his left the wolves lunged at him, jaws snapping, one nipping him on the shoulder while another got his back. He hoped and prayed Chloe would shift and run without thinking twice or looking back. He used all his energy to fight off the angry wolves snapping at them until blood was flying—both his and theirs.
His body was weakened from the lack of sleep and spent energy. Who was he kidding when he said he could take on seven wolves by himself? Deacon shifted to human form and stood off to the side watching the brawl with amusement.
“You’re not so tough now, are you, pretty boy?” Deacon laughed, he being the only one who found his comment remotely funny. “I sent two of my pack members to find your little girlfriend. They’ll rip this fucking land apart until they find her. Might as well give up and throw in the towel now.”
Max turned his head and bit down on one of the wolf’s neck. The loud crunching sound of fragile bones breaking echoed into the night. The wolf’s whines and screeches of pain came shortly after, right before it fell to the ground in a dead, bloody mess. Six more to go.
One attacked him from behind just as another came at him in front. Max forgot about everything and simply let his instinct set in. His need to survive gave him the strength he needed to fight back, taking care of the one directly in front of him first. His jaws clamped around the wolf’s neck from beneath, and the being squeaked in misery. Max flung the body and snapped his head around. His jaws clamped around the other’s paw and sunk in deep. The different flavours of blood left the metallic taste in his mouth that only drove him to fight more.
The wolf whimpered and snapped at Max, catching Max’s hind leg with its sharp jaws. Pain seared through him hot as lava as it burned from the point of contact up his entire body. Max snarled and snapped at the wolf, trying to fend him off.
“Give it up now, Max.” Deacon’s voice came from the side, cold as a winter’s night. “Your bitch isn’t worth losing your life.”
Max’s energy deflated as the other wolf slung him to the ground, effectively immobilising him. He shifted back to human form just as the other wolf did. The air stank of blood and death. Max raised his head, feeling the slight trickle of warm fluid slithering down the side of his face. His body was beaten and bruised, his leg ripped open and nearly detached from his body. He was numb to the pain as long as he didn’t move a single muscle.
“Tell me, Max,” Deacon said, stalking towards him like the predator that he was. “Why didn’t you protect Janie like you’re protecting this new piece of ass? As I do recall, you practically handed her over to us and then killed her yourself when we had our fill. Why the need to protect this youngling? Is her pussy really that good?”
Max’s lungs burned with each intake of oxygen, worse than the gashes all over his body. He couldn’t move. “You don’t deserve her.”
Deacon crossed his arms over his chest, the leather jacket he wore creaking with his movements in the otherwise silent night. “I’ll find her, Max. I’ll find her and fuck her. Maybe I’ll even tie her up so my men can take turns with your new toy. Maybe I’ll tie you up and force you to watch my fat cock sink into that slick pussy you love so much. Either way, I will have her, one way or another.”
The other wolf—the one that ripped his leg open—chuckled then kicked at Max’s shoulder, knocking him face forward into the grass. Deacon came over and grabbed a handful of Max’s hair, angling his head back so they stared into each other’s eyes.
“Give it up. I can smell it on you. Her ripe fragrance is all over your skin. Where is she?”
“I’m right here.” All three heads whipped towards the voice that came from the house. Chloe stood with her hands in her pockets and her eyes locked on Deacon. “You want me, well, I’m here. What do you suppose you’re going to do about it?”
As twilight set in, Chloe took a deep breath and stared into the eyes of the second most bea
utiful man she’d ever seen. His dark hair was short and spiky. His pretty face was a work of art from God, with a strong jaw, square chin and full, kissable lips. But his eyes were nothing but cold darkness masked in the most unique colour of blue.
“Let him go. This chauvinistic display of dominance is pathetic, even for an alpha wolf like you.” She climbed down the few stairs to level their playing field. To show she wasn’t scared.
When Max first went out to confront the pack, Chloe called Quinn with Max’s phone. He finally answered after about ten tries. There was no doubt in her mind that he was with a female of their pack, but as soon as she explained the situation, he promised cavalry was on their way. It probably wasn’t the smartest thing in the world to come out and confront a horny alpha wolf while she herself was still in the needing phase—albeit at the end, but her body still craved sex. She simply needed to stall Deacon for a little bit while Max’s brother and members of his pack came to their rescue.
Deacon stopped within inches of her and sniffed the air between them. “You smell like hot, sweaty sex.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve been fucking Max for the past few hours. What did you expect?” Chloe propped her hands on her hips and reminded herself to stay calm. She wasn’t the wimpy artist anymore. Something changed within her in the last couple days, building her confidence.
Deacon reached out to brush a finger lightly along her cheek. “Yeah, well, hours will seem like days by the time my pack and I get done with you.”
He slid his hand down her front, taking time to cup her breasts as he coasted down toward the apex of her thighs. “Are you wet, bitch? Your body’s aching for a cock, and I’ll bet you’ll take any one you can get.”
Chloe grabbed his hand, seeing three pairs of neon eyes coming from the woods. She prayed it was Max’s pack and not Deacon’s lone wolves returning to share her. “Don’t. Touch. Me.”
